Donnie Mills Cue by Randy Mobley Cues

Check out Donnie Mills cue (by Randy Mobley Cues) and other stuff he carries from match to match in this quick video from PoolDawg.com and Samm Diep.  Donnie is a great player who finished 3rd at the U.S. Open...an impressive feat.

Donnie is playing with a Randy Mobley cue.  Randy Mobley is one of those great cue makers that kinda flies under the radar.  You don't see many of his cues for sale, but you hear great things about him and his cues.  If you are looking for a Randy Mobley cue, let me know and I'll try to help you locate one.

Like me, Donnie uses his playing cue to break with, even though he is carrying a Tony Crosby jump/break cue.  I sued to use my Bill McDaniel cue to break with, too.  He does use the Tony Crosby cue to jump with, though.

He switched from Le Pro tips to Kamui Tips and really likes them.

He is in the process of down-sizing to a 2x4 Stroke it case by Tony Crosby, shown in the video.

Also, one last tip from Donnie, he only uses J&J brand baby powder

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Donnie Mills Cue by Randy Mobley Cues

Rodney Morris Cue Case: What's inside?

This is another quick interview from PoolDawg.com representative, Samm Diep.  She stopped the legendary Rodney Morris to see what pool cues and other billiards gadgets he is carrying around in his cue case.  This is a quick overview of Rodney Morris' cue case inventory...

Rodney Morris Cue Case:

Playing cue...At the time of this interview (mid-2011, I think).  Rodney was carrying and playing with an Abear cue.  It is a relatively simple design made with Indian Staghorn wood with a leather wrap.  One odd part of the cue is the black ferrule that is made of water-buffalo horn.  Rodney says he likes the blacke ferrule, because it allows him to sight the cue ball better.  He is using a TAD tip.  His playing cue is around 19.7 oz.  He makes an interesting comment that you should always have a playing cue that is at least 19.5 oz., because when you go lighter than that, it makes shooting certain rail shots more difficult.  I found this statement to be really interesting and something that I had never heard, nor ever considered.

At the time of this interview, he had been playing with that Abear cue for almost a year.  In the video, he seemed to be happy with the cue.  It wasn't long after this that Rodney was seen playing with an, off the shelf, Poison cue.  This seems logical, because he is wearing a Poison patch.  I watched a pool video match of him playing Shawn Putnam and he appeared to be playing with a black and white Poison cue.  It seems that Rodney has switched cue brands a lot, since he stopped playing with his long-time cue sponsor...Szamboti Cues.

Break Cue... Rodney is carrying a Predator BK 2, break cue.  It has a Samsara tip on it.

Jump Cue... He is using the Poison VX JMP jump cue.

Cue Case... Rodney is toting a huge 3 butt x 5 shaft Poison cue case.  It has tons of space, with special pockets for a Predator Air or other jump cue.

Pool Playing Accessories...  Other than cues, Rodney is carrying pretty typical stuff with him.  He has a few tip tools, sponsor patches, sand paper, cue rest and tons of chalk.

Well, that's a break down of Rodney Morris' cue case ingredients.   You can't go wrong following Rodney's lead with equipment.

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: What’s In Pro Pool Player, Rodney Morris Cue Case?

In the video, below, women's professional pool player, Sarah Rousey, shows off her Mezz EC7-C cue and all of the other cool gadgets and m0mentos that she carries with her as she travels around the world competing in pool tournaments.  This is another great video from Samm Diep from PoolDawg.com.

Here is a quick breakdown of just what Sarah Rousey carrying in her cue case, two shafts.

Her Mezz EC7-C Cue w/ the HD 700 Shaft

Sarah is sponsored by PoolDawg.com and mezz cues, so naturally, she is playing with the Mezz Cue model EC7-C.  She carries two different versions of Mezz low deflection shafts.  She used to play with the Hybrid Pro II, but changed to the HD 700 shaft, because she feels it has a softer hit.  According to Sarah, this is the same shaft that Mika Immonen and Alex Pagulyan are using, so she is definitely in good company with that.  She uses a compressed Triangle tip on her shafts.

The Mezz Power Break II

She carries the Power Break II break cue from Mezz Cues.  This is the slightly shorter version of break cue with removal rings to adjust the weigh and balance.  This features the Mezz Deep Impact shaft, with a hard leather tip.  She doesn't use the Deep Impact Pro shaft with the phenolic tip, because she has trouble controlling the cue with that tip/shaft combo.

The Mezz Air Drive jump cue

Sarah switched to the Mezz Air Drive jump cue and really loves it.

The Mezz Professional Extension

Being small in stature, Sarah carries the, very helpful tool, the Mezz Professional Extension...cue extension.  This is a really cool accessory that Mezz features for their pool cues.  I've had some trouble locating them in the U.S.  If anyone has a source, please let me know.

The Mezz Soft Cue Case

This is a very nice looking Mezz Cue case. It is a soft version of a 3 butt x 5 shaft case.  It features nice red trim and lots of storage space.  This case sells for around $80, which is very reasonable.

Other pool playing accessories

Sarah carries the Mezz tip tool, the Nick's Edge shaft burnishing system (one of my favorites), chalk and several momentos.  One of the interesting comments that Sarah made is that she heard of another player baking their chalk...I never heard of that one before.

Thanks to Samm Diep for providing another interesting video, featuring one of our favorite pool players.  If you are looking for any of the stuff that Sarah is using, just check out the listings on this page and I hope you find a great deal.

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Mezz EC7-C: The Sarah Rousey Cue of Choice

Video: Nick Varner cue Case

Check out this video of the legendary, Hall-of-Famer, Nick Varner revealing what is in his Nick Varner cue case.

If you don't know, Nick Varner has his own line of cues, cases and billiards products. In fact, he wholesales a complete line of billiards products. So what does he carry in his case?

The Nick Varner Cues

First is the Nick Varner cue, of course. It is a limited edition (1/100) that he designed. It is a wrapless cue featuring many floating points. He also carries a Nick Varner jump/break cue combination. For more extreme jumping, he carries the Nick Varner jump cue "Air Varner". Here are some Nick Varner Cues for you to check out current pricing and find some deals

The Nick Varner Accessories

Like many players, nick carries one of the moosehead bridges in his bag. This bridge can be put onto any cue, especially a break cue. It is nice to have, just in case a bridge isn't available.

@ Amazon.com

Sterling Deluxe Moosehead Bridge Head

• Offers a variety of positions for billiard shots.
• Turns any cue stick into a bridge stick
• Dueable construction

Of course, Nick carries a pack of this famous Nick's Edge cue burnishing system. These things are great for keeping your cue nice and smooth. If you've never tried them, you should. They've been around for many years and are very popular.

He also carries a cue extension, which can come in very handy. These are great and allow you to reach further and shoot with a more normal stroke. A big advantage over using a bridge.

@ Amazon.com

Cue reach cue extension

• Perfect for shots where you have to reach across the table

Of course, no Nick Varner case would be complete without a pack of his most dangerous weapon...big red...

@ Amazon.com

Wrigley's Big Red Gum, 15-Stick Slim Packs (Pack of 20)

• Pack of twenty, 15-count packs(total of 300-count sticks)
• Provides long lasting fresh breath
• No. 1 selling cinnamon gum since 1987

Last but not least is the case itself.  Of course it is a Nick Varner case.  It is a 3 butt - 5 shaft case with nice long pockets, including a pocket for your jump cue.

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Nick Varner Cue: Find Out What’s in Nick’s Case

Dennis Orcollo Cue by Diveney Cues.

In this episode of Samm Diep's "on the case", you can find out what, the world-class player, Dennis Orcollo is carrying in this cue case.  Dennis is one of the best players in the world and just another in a great line of players to come from the Philippines.

In the video you'll see that Dennis just picked up his new Diveney Custom Cue.  Diveney Custom Cues are made by Pat Diveney out of West Liberty, Iowa.  Like many custom cuemakers, Pat doesn't make a lot of cues, so finding one on the open market might be tough.  If there are any ebay auctions, currently, I'll list them here...

Mezz ZZAIR Air Shooter Jump Pool Cue Stick

• The following are LB to OZ breakouts: 1.12LB = 18OZ, 1.19LB = 19OZ, 1.25LB = 20OZ, 1.31LB = 21OZ
• Free 1x1 Soft Case
• Every Two Piece Cue Includes a Hard Rock Maple Shaft

The Mezz ZZAIR Airshooter jump cue is designed for optimal balance shape and power by utilizing key elements such as a wood joint Black Ingot tip and Manix Z ferrule. This cue also features a unique butt taper and shape designed for both standard and dart strokes making it easier to jump balls and improves cue ball control after the shot. The combination of American and Japanese technologies truly holds its own to the Japanese definition for Mezz: Something that is loved something that is treasured

List Price: $ 177.25

Price: $ 178.50

Dennis prefers to play with Moori tips (as do I).  Remember, as with a lot of layered tips, these tips may be much harder than you are used to.  I prefer the Medium tip, which is still a fairly hard tip.

Moori Pool Cue Tips - Med - 14MM (Each)

• 9 layers of pigskin leather
• More consistency on shots
• Medium density
• Produces a medium hit with a medium pace

Moori III Tips are one of the most popular tips used by professional players all over the world. They are made of 9 layers of pigskin and due to it's manufacturing process these tips will be more consistent and last longer than the average tips. **THESE TIPS ARE SOLD INDIVIDUALLY PRICE IS FOR ONE TIP** This Pool Cue Tip Features: 9 layers of pigskin leather More consistency on shots Medium density Produces a medium hit with a medium pace Durable Size 14mm

List Price: $ 15.96

Price: $ 15.96

Moori Pool Cue Tips - Med -13MM (EACH)

• 9 layers of pigskin leather
• More consistency on shots
• Medium density
• Produces a medium hit with a medium pace

Moori III Tips are one of the most popular tips used by professional players all over the world. They are made of 9 layers of pigskin and due to it's manufacturing process these tips will be more consistent and last longer than the average tips. **THESE TIPS ARE SOLD INDIVIDUALLY PRICE IS FOR ONE TIP** This Pool Cue Tip Features: 9 layers of pigskin leather More consistency on shots Medium density Produces a medium hit with a medium pace Durable Size 13mm

List Price: $ 19.95

Price: $ 19.90

Dennis also carries around some other basic supplies like an ultimate tip tool and some Masters chalk.

Ultimate tip tool

• Keeps the tip of your cue rough to better hold chalk

5 different tip tools in one. Burnisher, nickel and dime shaper, tip tapper and edger

List Price: $ 20.00

Price: $ 15.10

Overall, nothing too out of the ordinary in Dennis' cue case.  The cue case was really nice, too, but I was unable to determine who made the case.  If anyone knows, please comment below.  I would love to know.

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Check This Out: Dennis Orcollo Cue by Diveney Cues

Earl Strickland cue by Mike Gulyassy

This is the next excellent episode of "on the case" hosted by Samm Diep of AZBtv. Watch as Samm interviews another one of the top rated road warriors in the game to identify what they are concealing in their cue carrying case.

In this installment Samm talks to the legendary Earl "The Pearl" Strickland.  He shows off his Mike Gulyassy cue and his jump cue. Earl is sponsored by Mike.  As you would expect when interviewing Earl, this episode is a little different and includes some of Earl's thoughts on jump cues and some of his unorthodox devices he uses.

I've included some listings for Mike Gulyassy cues, if you are looking for one.

As many of you know, Earl was sponsored by Cuetec for many years, so I've included some listings for cuetec cues, in case that is the Earl Strickland cue you were expecting to see.

US $89.00 End Date: Wednesday Feb-08-2012 21:04:47 PST Buy It Now for only: US $89.00 Buy it now | Add to watch list

US $125.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Friday Feb-10-2012 7:19:33 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Check Out This Earl Strickland Cue by Mike Gulyassy

Here is another inside look into a touring pro pool player's case, courtesy of InsidePoolMag.com .

Check out this video to see what Max Eberle carries in his pool cue case.

As you can see, Max is playing with a J. Pechauer cue. I've always liked the hit of the pechauer cues. For a production cue, they are a great cue. I've always thought that they are the best hitting production type cue. Let me know if you like how Pechauer cues hit.

Nothing else in his case that is too exciting, other than his book and DVD, which I've never had the pleasure of reviewing. Let me know by commenting, if you have any opinions on Max's book or DVD. I'd love to hear some opinions.

Cheers,
Skippy

P.S. Look for deals on Max's books and DVD on this page, along with great playing Pechauer cues.

The Original Post is Located Here: Cues The Pros Use: Max Eberle

I love this cue!  This is classic Gus Szamboti work.  It isn't fancy, but in my mind it is what a cue is "supposed" to look like.  I'd love to be able to play with a Gus Szamboti cue to see how it plays.

This cue is owned by the legendary Danny DiLiberto and was used to achieve his personal best run of 14.1, which must have been a pretty big run.

This is Danny DiLiberto's personal Gus Szamboti cue.

This cue is featured over at Cuezilla.com .  If you haven't checked out that site, you should.  They have some very unique cues that you can enjoy and give your rating and opinions.  It is a great site for cue enthusiasts.

Here is their description of the cue...

The pictured Gus Szamboti cue features four ebony points each with four veneers of black/mahogany/blue/natural into a Birdseye maple nose. The butt is Ebony with Birdseye Maple boxes and two stitch rings. The cue is all original and was made for Danny Deliberto. There is documentation that makes claim to it being used in Danny’s highest run in 14.1 straight pool. This cue also features four Ivory spearhead inlays in the base of the points...(go to Cuezilla... )

I love the look of a full-spliced cue and the classic spear-heads that Gus used in his designs.  This cue may seem very plain to many pool players and cue fans, but I love the classic design of this cue.

What do you think of this cue?  If you've played with a Gus Szamboti cue, let me know what your experience was.

Cheers,
Skippy

P.S.  Gus' son, Barry, is now carrying on the family legacy and makes some awesome cues as well.

The Original Post is Located Here: Classic Szamboti Cue on Cuezilla

Recently, I was contacted by someone who has a rare Jim Rempe series Meucci pool cue.  We discussed the cue and were trying to determine it's history and value.  This cue is pretty cool.   The first thing you notice is the extra insert that splits up the wrap area.

Vintage Meucci Pool Cue: Jim Rempe's JR Special

Check out the insert and graphics inside the wrap area.

Vintage Jim Rempe Meucci pool cue

I've never seen a Meucci pool cue quite like it before.  You can tell to look at it that it is from the 80's time-period.  If you don't know, Jim Rempe was "The King" back then.  He was still playing world-class pool and was the face of meucci cues.  There were many pro pool players sponsored by Meucci back then, but Rempe was the leader of the pack, IMHO.

I was hoping that someone out there that might know more about it.  The owner purchased the cue brand new some time in the late 80's from a cue dealer named Joe Davitt (I think).  He had talked with Jim Rempe about the cue years ago.  Rempe called the cue a "JR Special" and thought it could be quite valuable.  Also, he talked to Bob Meucci (Owner of Meucci Cues) about the cue.  Bob thought it was a rare cue with a very limited production of maybe 50 cues.  That being said, it looks like this Meucci pool cue is quite unique and valuable.

UPDATE (8/5/11):  I don't know if this particular Meucci pool cue is still available, but I've seen a few around if you are looking for one.

Collectible Muecci Cue with very few produced

JR Special Meuccie Cue - Forearm

He might part with the cue someone is serious about acquiring it.  He has the original shaft that came with the cue.  He also has an It's George eelskin case that he purchased at the same time 20+ years ago...

NOTE:  This article is quite old and this Meucci pool cue is probably not available.

It's George Eelskin tube cue case

Do you have any ideas about the history or value of this cue?  If so, please comment below or send me a personal message through my contact me page .

If your interested in making an offer on this cue, contact me through my conact page or call me at 240.344.6035

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Vintage Collectible Meucci Pool Cue

In this video, Ralf Souquet opens up his cue case and reveals all of his secret pool gadgets and the other necessities of a traveling billiards-superstar.

Ralf Souquet (aka "The Kaiser") is a truely legendary player from Germany. He has been playing competitive pool for over 2 decades at a very high level. He has an amazing tournament record including over 250 wins including many European titles and US titles in an array of pool disciplines. He has world championships in 9ball, 8ball and 10ball. He is a US Open 9 Ball Champion and a US Open 14.1 champion. Bottom-line, if there is a big tournament, don't ever count out Ralf, he is a true champion.

OK...Let's find out what a world-travelling professional pool-playing superstar keeps in his pool cue bag of tricks...

Ralf has been playing with a Joss cue for some time and is working out an endorsement deal with them (at the time of this video). He uses a Predator 314 2nd generation shaft with his cue. His Joss cue is a one-of-a-kind, but here are some other Joss designs...



Joss JOS62 Bloodwood, Figured Maple and Holly Diamonds Pool Cue Stick




Joss JOS61 Bloodwood, Ebony and Holly Pool Cue Stick




Joss JOS07 - Holly Inlays Pool Cue Stick

These are just a few examples of Joss' work. I've always liked their cues. IMO, they are a high-quality cue for the money .

Ralf was carrying a Predator Air Jump cue like this one...



Predator Air Jump Cue

Let's keep looking, because Ralf's case is jam-packed with gadgets and supplies. Here are some of them with links, so you can stock your case, just like THE KAISER...



A Towel to wipe his hands and/or cue




A bunch of Moori Tips




A Cue Cube to shape his tip.




A Brad Scuffer, which is another way to scuff his cue tip.




A Q Wiz to clean and polish his cue shaft. This little gadget works great. I agree with Ralf when he says it is one of his favorite items.




This Cue Dude cue holder looks ingenious! I'm planning on trying one of these. I've seen many versions of cue holders, a lot of them home-made, but this one is very compact and more gentle on your cue...compared to the ones that I have seen.



Ralf carries the Justa Bridge, which is, maybe, the best bridge design I've seen so far. It slips on the end of your break cue or a house cue. It's well worth the little extra money over the cheaper bridges or a house bridge.



He also carries a Moosehead type bridge for a little bit of convenience over the Justa Bridge.

Ralf also carries Blue Diamond chalk, which seems to be popular with many of the pro pool players. He carries, yet-another, tip shaper/burnisher and some lucky charms...it seems to work for him. You'll see he carries some other supplies, too, like pain relievers, etc. That is a good idea.

Anyhow...here is the video interview from insidepool...I hope it helps you.

Cheers,
Skippy

The Original Post is Located Here: Cues the Pros Use: Ralf Souquet